Environmental Policy Convergence in Europe: The Impact of International Institutions and Trade

Has globalisation led to a convergence in policy-making across nations and, if so, what are the causal mechanisms? This book analyses the extent to which the environmental policies of nation states have converged over the last thirty years and whether this convergence led to a strengthening or weakening of environmental standards (a race to the top, or a race to the bottom). It also analyses the factors that account for these developments. Based on a unique empirical data set, the study covers the development of a wide range of environmental policies in twenty four OECD countries, including EU Members States as well as Norway, Switzerland, Japan, Mexico and the USA, with particular emphasis on the impact of institutional and economic interlinkages among these countries.

• A broad empirical test of whether globalisation leads to policy convergence: studies 40 policy items through a sample of 24 countries over a period of 30 years • Examines environmental policy and asks whether globalisation has brought standards up or down • Looks at international institutions, as well as domestic politics.